In this article I am going take a look at some Spanish Western figures that I have acquired over the years. Most of the photos will be Cowboys From Spain with a few exceptions.
Lafredo
The Indian in the above photo is by Lafredo. The figure is four inches tall. I normally pass on this size figure, but when I saw it I had to add it to the collection, I got my first figure at a Plastic Warrior Show and I have looked for others since.
Most of the western figures I have acquired are the four inch figures. They have done figures in 90mm range. Besides the western figures, Lafredo did a nice range of knights and copied other companies’ figures.
Cowboys From Spain
One of the things you find when you start getting into Cowboys From Spain you find that they a lot of character figures from television shows. the figure on the left is Brett Maverick from Maverick show and Buck from High Chaparral. Both of these figures are by Comansi. (If I am wrong our Spanish expert will correct me.)
Here are two more characters from Bonanza. I believe the one on the right is Ben Cartwright and the one on the left is Adam Cartwright. At my first location for Stad’s I had the whole group on display with a Disney Uncle Scrooge in front say like these are my boys.
This next photo has two Spanish cowboys from Comansi and Linde Karl May figure from Austria. When I got the figure on the left I really like him as he was complete different from other cowboys I had found. I viewed him as a wagon master.
The Linde western figure is part of the Karl May series they did. I first saw these figures at a Plastic Warrior Show. Our very good friend Michael Smith had literally had got them just before coming to the show. I purchase the lot from him and share them with people getting my list. Linde also did Disney, Circus and Folktale figures.
The final figure is 54mm amd like this pose as he looks like he is holding off a band of people. Erwin check with people found that this figure was done by SIS a minor company that sold their figures unpainted. They sold these figures in Spain between 1970 to 1985 mostly to small stores. It is believe that it is a copy of Pech Hermanos figure. People shake their head wondering where I get these figure. To be honest on this one I have no idea.
I have a lot of the Spanish-made cowboys and Indians, given to me by a friend in Spain. Most of mine are 54-60mm, a few 70mm? like Maverick. I think some of the larger figures, like your Indian pictured, are beautiful, but I have not collected any of those. In my opinion, the Spanish figures ranged from really nice to really ugly. Guess that is true of American-made figures, also.
In my opinion.
Some times the paint also killed the detail, in others were painters were better the detail was best, but once they start cut and hire not true painters plus use cheap paint ,it went down. We can see it with WOW Marx and unpainted version easy same sets.
Another fact are the mold,reamsa redone 4 times same mold for same pose,jecsan least twice, last production of older wasted mold were very bad quality. Early were made of rubber and material crack and bend after 40 years.
And of course designers and artist too made ugly and nicer figures
In general every country had their bad and good to the few top line.
Spain felt isolated from 1940 till early 60’s and most was base for their own people and few to south America till early 60 ‘s some exports to US and rest.
Because of years on of poor commerce with Spain US receive and knew too few Spaniards toys in general, in less scale same with Italian and French.
France, Italy ,Portugal, England and Germany got more from Spain.
Most as far I know come from UK ,till later the massive HK and else.
Even x us as collector here the easy are from UK ,rest are harder to get because language barrier, shipping, travelling and connection.
But the more we advance the best we expand and spread our know loges and information x future reference.
Best…
It’s a real pleasure to read such a close to reality plastic soldiers explanation.
In Spain being a collector today is difficult, but the times you do not a speech and more to be a manufacturer and idioma.Era barriers like being a hero or a Don Quixote.
Thank you Mr Erwin explain this with so successful opinion.
Thank you J C Martin for your thoughts. I understand clearly what you and the few braves collecting in Spain are doing for the hobby and nostalgic memories.
I agree with the true expression been “El Quixote”
I had always admire and collect Spaniards figures and been I big fan of because the so huge and large varied production made in barely 25/30 years in the rubber/plastic range figures. All made by so limited companies that now thanks to your books and of others as well blogs we are aware and learning of.
Also I like the fact that contrary to French (most made hard plastic stiff fragile) ;Spaniards figures were made of more lasting material with exception of early rubber(goma) material.
It always fascinate me the never ending new figures I found from Spain.
A pleasure to speak with you ,Sir here.
Best..
I admire your knowledge, about our productions and certainly wonderful books are included in Andrea press long ago I edit one magnificent gathering some companies Spanish manufacturers and other companies which were manufactured in Spain.
Unfortunately figures found in good condition in our country is difficult because it is not a hobbie very well seen..here it is considered by many kind of society as a waste of time.
Most of us lost our collections when we returned from military service and probably went to the garbage containers,That’s why we spent so much trying to get back to tenr those collections that made us such good memories pass in front of the TV-SERIES OF THOSE YEARS AS 60- DAVY CROCKETT RIN TIN TIN. ETC ETC. AND MY FAVORITE series with american FORTS and stockades, wagons , the swan fox , I grew up with all this and also know American history because it is linked to ours because we are part of it and the soldier toys could not be less . Best
Martin
Most of us here lost our collections as well as they were given away. I was lucky as I had no brothers to take it over and I hid it from my parents. When I started to collect again it was first hard to find plastic figures at shows. At the toy soldier shows plastic was look down out and regulated to closed off areas or under a table. Flea markets you would find it occasionally.
Today the flea markets can be tougher to find plastic figures. Too many times the plastic you find are Chinese new figures or common figures. Toy shows and especially toy soldier shows you can find plastic figures but the prices will be higher especially if the item is thought to be rare.
Erwin
I would like to add even the British firms got limited marketing outside of the large cities. Britains was the best in marketing due to Reeves being their distributor.
Thank You admin,I din not know that detail.
Interesting as I always though because English languages it would a bit more easy for the UK production to be export. I notice that even Canadian collectors struggle with British made figures making complete sense and logic your point and information.
Beautiful Lafredo selection!!!WOW!!!
Lafredo figures match with Pecos and (stuard!?) or tall 3″ Tim Mee swivel pretty much in size and were excellent designed-sculpted, too bad they did not went down in scale. I only have one as hard to get loose, most in lot and high value ,plus not my scale in western figures, may be one day.
Excellent work; few add on detail-update please.
Figure in left is exact copied from Comansi(NOTE difference inner plastic color versus right pose true Comansi-right and different base shape) -Both poses correct categorized as playset (Gran chaparral)Playset by COMANSI and those are the name characters. The Comansi is first series made because base color .
The two Bonanza bellow poses are correct named by character and belong to first series playset by JECSAN(Bonanza) call (Paladine del oeste)-they did 4 different sets.(Most from 6-8 foot poses )The condition of paint is great, plastic type indicate first generation early production=$$$;most found are second generation.
Jecsan BONANZA most characters were represented in mounted and foot poses , often sold in separated cases(mounted one set ,foot other) so you had to buy both.
They are hard to name because only boxes had the name with figure depicted and in some series they add name to bases x short time period only.
The sale company catalog never name them ,only give a number individual pose as typical Spaniards mold are single pose/figure per halves.
Regular cowboys-non charaters poses from first series Comansi and Jecsan had the description of pose bellow base, such (shooting w escopeta=rifle) or “robber” and on.
No other company from Spain and most country had done it as far I know,recently I only saw it in the PANINI made in china Indian figures.
The two red figures I think are not COMANSI, neither jecsan, puchol,pech or Reamsa because base shape and style mold. But indeed nice poses. I have one in blue and will now try to find who did both poses and how many were in the set.
Unpainted color indicate are from 70’s bag edition sale sets.
The Silver last nice pose that is indeed base in PH pose ORIGINAL (PH that has in right hand a knife) is very rare and odd ,also first time ever I see grey or silver color unpainted in old Spaniard production. That color was run most by American recast production of Jecsan and Reamsa in mid to late 90’s.
This figure is not recast at all and I suppose SIS ,as PH original did represent Wild Bill Hickok they did.
I do own a huge Spaniard collection, I will shake the head too as some you have are rare to me as well.
Congrats on the collection show admin!!
Admin, what scale is he please!?-last pose?
I like the guy running firing his strange looking rifle from his waist, the base is a bit much, but I like the pose.
Yes Lafredo are in odd high base (about 6-7 mm ),if you reduce off it and place figure in flat you can have a 70-75 mm pretty much. The poses were very well choose-done
Another Good match in scale are MARX Italian copies poses sets by BARABELLI of cowboys,Indians.
It’s not the height so much as it appears to cluttered, the cactus and a skull, I think one or the other would have been sufficient. Of course, that’s my own personal taste and may not be shared by all. I’m guessing that is a depiction of the winchester rifle(?), could have been a little more in scale with the figure I think.
Understan ,
Yes ,some times weapons were very bad versus a good figures, I think most companies doing great figures always look last in weapons.
I saw once in PW magazine how British artist(Cameron!?) Design the Airfix German standing firing by observing the picture of an extra all well uniformed accurate but the weapon guy was firing was a BB small gun.
Thanks God the artist look at other records and did a mouser( a bit short still) but least not a BB gun.LOL!!
Even Marx depicted wrong out era weapon and other short or too big too.
Spaniards makers and French in particular were not too fun of weapon detail but specialize in image/figure pose ideas.
I like more Spaniards because material and versus French are more dynamic,French often well painted and detail were most done in that hard stiff plastic that now are hard to find complete and also the poses have that Starlux,Cofalu,Jim ,else semi flat pose style or almost 2D that made me think figure was flat.
We also got from UK Timpo Solid with broom muskets in the Napoleonic series and some Cherilea with very odd reverse weapons that can not be categorized yet!!
But is my personal like of course. To every body his color.
Sorry ,(Mauser)
Nice , I like the figure with a bullet ridden leaking whiskey barrel, not shown !
http://soldadosdeplastico.blogspot.com/ Juan Carlos Martin is a collector in Spain and has a lot of the photos of Spanish manufactured toy soldiers, along with many other companies from many countries. Juan Carlos Martin is known to Erwin and admin, and has posted items on his blog with thanks to them.
This may be a well known place to others, but I hadn’t seen it before this week. It’s in Spanish but is readable with the automatic translation I have on Google Chrome. The hard part is coming up with the Spanish names for searching. The Blog does have a list topics and Manufactures names. It is well worth the time for having photos of so many figures, especially unusual European soldiers.
I see that the admin has referred to the Soldados website twice in the past, the last time in 2015 and before in 2013.
I am currently a collector of plastic figures (farwest), and formerly (1970s), a happy child playing with my Indians, cowboys, soldiers and my Fort Apache.
In my country (Brazil) there were two (2) manufacturers named Casablanca and Gulliver, founded by Spanish immigrants living in Brazil, who in the 1960s and 1970s launched copies of items produced by Reamsa, Pech Hermanos, Jecsan, Comansi, Lafredo. These were copies that I knew as a child and after adult, I returned to collect.
I am currently looking for and buying with difficulty, due to the high price and the difficulty in finding good quality items.
There are a lot of collectors here in my country keeping alive the art of collecting farwest figures. The vast majority of them collect the copies released by Casablanca / Gulliver, but many are already eyeing the Spanish items.
This story is just to make you aware that we here in Brazil also like and value the items launched by the Spanish manufacturers, because being copies or not, it was with these items that we learned to play cowboy.
Best Regards.
Clayton
Clayton, Welcome I have enjoyed the Gulliver figures that I have acquired over the years. We will be interested in anything you want to share with our readers. Also any questions you may have. I know that Brazil has a big group of people in the far west
Thank you,
Thank you,
I had forgotten to mention that Casablanca / Gulliver also copied Elastolin.
I would like to share with readers a catalog of Gulliver from 1973/74, but I do not know how I can make this catalog available because I did not find in this blog how to upload files. In this catalog you will be able to see the items copied from different Spanish and German manufacturers.
A doubt I have: the factory Pech Hermanos has released in its catalog a fort named “Fort Summer”, but I have never seen a real photo of this fort just the drawing in the catalog. Have any of you readers ever seen, or do you have to share a photo of this fort?
Thank you.
I have that catalog as well full history if casablanca that close and reopen as Gulliver.
It was made as a matter of legality because casabkana has some issuesvwhen opened
Blog brinquedos post it as well.
About PH I have plenty info …
Will talk more later.
Best regards
“About PH I have plenty info”
Please, let me know.
Thank you.
You can send the link to my email pestad@gmail.com
Clayton…
as soon I come back home .Late tonight I may respond more with calm..
sorry I’m at work now..
Let me know what data you need from Pech Hermanos=PH
The figures that Casablanca ,”later reopen by former investor and family of founder as Gulliver”, were indeed base in PH,Reamsa and Jecasan,Elastolin most as well as Atlantic of course.
Yet they remold varied some poses complete too (by example they create western KUNG FU set with martial art cowboys base in Jecasan and PH poses but complete new variation ..I had try get those poses x over 20 years and not luck at all …
they were included in a limited playset and extremely hard to find as far I know …
In Atlantic they create 3 new poses of WW2 Germans out of originals.
they forts are super nice ,I like more the plastic ones.
Too bad they export so few and their production was very limited compere with other international brands.
yet they give South America the best even able Argentina competitors brands such OKLAHOMA.
Casablanca/Gu…Most copies were western poses from above brands copied but not all poses from their sets, were mix I think in many cases .One of non western nice sets copied were the ELASTOLIN Viking copied and used with rare big nice ship too.
I got two Gulliver Viking with brand mark bellow and typical Gulliver base with hole .
The African three set safari copies of PH is another nice example
I’m a fan collector of Gulliver as well Casablanca and few TROL brand too and of course all main Spaniards brands as well.
Is true the older CASABLANCA/GULLIVER are very hard to get but for Spaniards theirs PH , GAMA,GOMARZA are too while JECSA,COMANSI and Reamsa are more easy to get …Take time ,dedication,reseach and a lot money to get then …but is fun..
Is so much to talk about we will feel pages here ..LOL.
More later.
Best regards..
Thank you for replay.
Where do you live?
About the set KUNG FU, in case you do not know, here is a site (Portuguese) with photos of the set KUNG FU
http://www.brinquedos.faroeste.nom.br/artigos.php?id=43&tipo=
About Pech Hermanos, I would like to see a photo of Fort Summer, because this one I just saw a drawing in the Pech Hermanos own catalog.
I have easily purchased items (yankees, indians and cowboys) from Pech Hermanos recently as well as Jecsan and Reamsa and some Comansi (1st generation)
If you like Casablanca / Gulliver items you will like the following site with photos of the various sets released here in Brazil,
http://www.nosthalgia.com.br/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15&Itemid=19
Thank you again.
Thank you Clayton.I appreciate your responses.
I live in Upstate NY ,US
Yes I know those sites as well blog ,I had talk/correspond with Marcos before and see him in US as well before, he had travel to various shows,Chicago mainly.
his blog and work is amazing in info …
I been talking in some of the other blogs as well before too…
The KF set problem is no one want sale those figures easy ,either I miss or I can not buy then as go to crazy, but they are very original indeed.
I will look x the PH forts information in my bibliography and get back to you later tonight….
The drawing PH,REAMSA are sales retail catalogs made for retailers purchase back in time not actual catalog ,so hard to see photos;they barely made any .
Only Herminia and Martin books are the ones with real color pictures/photos work.
PH and Reamsa used Artesania first and then Giner companies for their forts been made as separated maker.
While Jecsan and Comansi use their own most .Jecsan and Comansi did photo sets and toys catalogs contrary to PH and Reamsa
best regards
Thanks again for your responses,
I asked where you lived because I was overwhelmed for two reasons:
1) Your knowledge of Pech Hermanos, Gulliver, Casablanca and Troll (here in Brazil we also had the company Viocema, little known)
2) The fact that you know and collect Gulliver, Casablanca, Troll, because I was surprised to learn that someone, not from Brazil, knew and collected items produced by these companies. Until then I had imagined that only the Brazilians knew the western line of these companies.
If you do not mind I would suggest the following website (maybe you even know) where you could buy very intresting items from these companies with excellent quality:
http://www.brinquedosraros.com.br/
A site that you can buy handmade items (I even bought an extremely well made wagon), made of wood, is as follows:
http://fortesdemadeira.blogspot.com.br
The following emails you can (if interested) buy handmade crafts made by the Brazilian LUIZ PAGLIARINI
luizpagli@ig.com.br
luizcpagli@bol.com.br
Here information about his work:
http://www.brinquedos.faroeste.nom.br/artigos.php?id=12&tipo=
http://www.brinquedos.faroeste.nom.br/artigos.php?id=129&tipo=
http://www.brinquedos.faroeste.nom.br/artigos.php?id=137&tipo=
http://www.brinquedos.faroeste.nom.br/artigos.php?id=118&tipo=
Best regards,
Clayton